Scottish Executive

Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a detailed computation of the £100 million possible cost of liability to compensate landowners for losses to the market value of their holdings in the event of the introduction of an absolute right to buy for tenant farmers, as referred to on page 25 of its consultation paper on the draft Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the estimated £100 million cost of liability to compensate landowners for losses to the market value of their holdings in the event of the introduction of an absolute right to buy for tenant farmers presumes that the absolute right to buy would extend to all tenant farmers or some only, specifying which ones, and whether it will detail the assumptions made in reaching this estimate.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28916 on 25 September 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28202 by Lewis Macdonald on 2 September 2002, whether it still supports the application for a Public Services Obligation (PSO) for the Inverness/Gatwick route; what conditions are attached to its support for the PSO, and, in particular, whether its support is dependent upon the outcome of the consultation exercise on the Department of Transport’s consultation paper, The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom .

Lewis Macdonald: Ministers unconditionally support the application of measures to secure Inverness’ link with Gatwick and this is not dependent on the outcome of the present consultation process.

Ambulance Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27871 by Malcolm Chisholm on 21 August 2002, who the ambulance frontline staff are within the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Malcolm Chisholm: Paramedics, technicians and non-emergency assistants are defined as frontline staff.

Census

Kate Maclean (Dundee West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the first results of the 2001 Census will be published.

Dr Richard Simpson: The first results of the 2001 Census are published today in the Registrar General’s 2001 Population Report . The report contains final figures for the resident population for Scotland and local councils as at Census Day (29 April 2001). In addition, it contains the Registrar General’s mid-year estimates of the population as at 30 June 2001. A copy of the report is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 24442), or from the GROS website at: www.gro-scotland.gov.uk.

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20998 by Iain Gray on 8 January 2002, how many of the 73 applicants eligible under its central heating installation programme have now had central heating installed.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28231 by Hugh Henry on 2 September 2002, how many of the 105 applications eligible under its central heating installation programme have now had central heating installed.

Hugh Henry: The position with regard to applications for the central heating programme submitted between September 2001 and August 2002 by private sector householders living in the Scottish Borders area is as follows:

  Between 1 September and 31 December 2001, 73 eligible householders submitted applications. Thirty-one of those have now had their central heating installed and a further 30 will have their central heating as soon as possible. There are others who are waiting for a number of reasons, such as gas connections by Transco or listed building consent from the local authority.

  Between 1 January and 2 August 2002, 105 eligible householders submitted applications. Eleven of those have now had their central heating installed and a further 17 will have their central heating as soon as possible. Forty are awaiting survey and there are others who are waiting for a number of reasons, such as gas connections by Transco or listed building consent from the local authority.

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average waiting time is in each local authority area from determination of eligibility under its central heating installation programme to installation.

Hugh Henry: Information for the private sector is not collected by local authority area. The time between confirming an application as eligible and receiving central heating will vary between areas according to such things as the kind of heating system chosen and whether listed building consent is required. It is for local authorities and housing associations to determine the programme of work for their own stock and advise their tenants accordingly.

Central Heating

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made in the Falkirk Council area to date under its central heating installation programme; how many of these applications have been approved, and how many installations have been carried out.

Hugh Henry: Eaga do not collect information by local authority area. However, in the FK postcode area there have been 392 applications since the central heating programme began. Two hundred and seventy-six applications have been approved for the initial survey and 87 installations have been completed to date.

Child Care

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the eligibility criteria will be for access to the £20 million for child care announced in its press release SESJ055/2002.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people will be helped back into work by the provision of £20 million for child care over three years as announced in its press release SESJ055/2002.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what form the training announced in its press release SESJ055/2002 will take.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the training announced in its press release SESJ055/2002 will begin.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the specific investment in jobs will be as announced in its press release SESJ055/2002.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the investment in jobs announced in its press release SESJ055/2002 will be made.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it will create through the measures announced in its press release SESJ055/2002.

Ms Margaret Curran: The £20 million announced in press release SESJ055/2002 commences from 2004-05. I shall make further announcements about how this funding will be used in due course.

Child Care

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people from deprived areas are currently prevented from entering work because of an absence of child care.

Ms Margaret Curran: For parents living in deprived areas, the absence of affordable child care is one of the barriers to entering employment. The absence of appropriate skills, ill health, and/or access to places of employment are also impediments to entering work.

  The Scottish Executive is committed to removing the range of barriers that parents face to entering employment, and I recently announced an additional £20 million over 2004-06 to tackle some of these barriers in deprived areas, including access to child care.

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its selection boards have been chaired by the Civil Service Commissioners in each year since May 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: Civil Service Commissioners chair recruitment boards at Senior Civil Service level. I refer the member to the answer given to question SIW-28005 on 27 August 2002 .  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Culture

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the 31 cultural co-ordinator pilot programmes will cost and what budget estimate or allocation it has made in respect of rolling out the programmes in the future.

Dr Elaine Murray: The cultural co-ordinator posts are supported over 2002-03 and 2003-04 by £1.75 million from the Scottish Executive to complement funding from the local authorities. The recent spending review announcement provides additional money to allow the cultural co-ordinator programme to run for a further two years until 2006 and further details will be announced in due course.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5472 by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002, what action can be taken should there be a breakdown in industrial relations in the further education sector.

Iain Gray: Industrial relations and employment issues within further education colleges, which are autonomous bodies in terms of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992, are for the colleges themselves to address.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5472 by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002, what appeal mechanism is available to staff of further education colleges should there be a breakdown in industrial relations.

Iain Gray: Arrangements whereby staff in colleges of further education may appeal against disciplinary action would normally be covered by the disciplinary code of the college concerned and by general employment law provisions.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5472 by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002, what mechanism exists to hold boards of management of further education colleges to account.

Iain Gray: Boards of management are accountable to the Scottish ministers through powers delegated to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council in the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-5472 by Iain Gray on 5 September 2002, whether there are any plans to review the system of appointments to the boards of management of further education colleges.

Iain Gray: An extensive consultation exercise seeking views on future governance and accountability arrangements in the further education sector is currently under way. The appointment of boards of management is one issue on which views are being sought.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS boards are funding the limited use of anti-TNF drugs for rheumatoid arthritis to assess their cost effectiveness given that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) have already issued their evaluation and guidance.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice and evidence from the HTBS and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need. Any evidence that emerged either from complaints or through monitoring which suggested that this was not happening would be followed up proactively.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS board or trust or agency each nurse currently employed by the NHS 24 pilot programme in Grampian worked for in their most recent job prior to employment with the pilot programme.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested by the member is currently being collated by NHS 24 and I am awaiting a response. Once complete, I will write to the member with a full response and place a copy in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Health Service Commissioners (Amendment) Act 2000

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Her Majesty’s Government sought its agreement to proceed with the Health Service Commissioners (Amendment) Act 2000.

Patricia Ferguson: No. The Health Service Commissioners (Amendment) Act 2000 does not extend to Scotland.

Hospitals

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances it would be considered appropriate to send heart attack victims in Angus to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Malcolm Chisholm: For patients domiciled in Angus and encountering chest pain while in Angus the default position is for patients to be admitted to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether stock transfer is the only way to deliver warm, damp-free and structurally sound homes.

Ms Margaret Curran: It is for councils and their tenants, in light of local circumstances, to decide how best to secure investment in council housing. The benefits of transfer include providing investment; giving tenants guarantees about future rent levels and investment programmes, and dealing with councils’ historic housing debt.

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure its drugs policy is compatible with those of member states of the European Union.

Dr Richard Simpson: As a reserved policy area, links with the EU institutions are co-ordinated by the Home Office, on behalf of all UK administrations. We place high priority on working with our European partners to tackle the drug problems we share by, for example, exchanging information on best practice.

  In 2000, the EU Council of Ministers agreed to the adoption of the EU Action Plan on Drugs as a mechanism to implement the EU Drug Strategy (2000-04). The plan sets out a range of actions to be taken by the EU to reduce the damage caused to health and to society by drug misuse and associated crime. Objectives fall within four main areas: prevention of drug misuse, particularly among young people; improved treatment of drug misusers; reducing drug trafficking and the availability of drugs, and international co-operation, with particular focus on countries applying to join the EU, and those areas which either produce illegal drugs, or which are on transit routes for drugs bound for Europe.

  Our Drugs Strategy and Action Plan for Scotland are consistent with these objectives.

Marriage

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce legislation to allow registered celebrants of the Humanist Society to perform marriage ceremonies.

Dr Richard Simpson: The Scottish Executive have no immediate plans to introduce legislation to allow celebrants of the Humanist Society to perform marriage ceremonies in Scotland. However, as stated in reply to petition PE 333 by Charles Douglas on behalf of the Humanist Society of Scotland, the Scottish Executive will review this position when the Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002 has been operational for a suitable period.

Marriage

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in respect of petition PE333 by Charles Douglas on behalf of the Humanist Society of Scotland.

Dr Richard Simpson: The Scottish Executive responded formally to Justice 2 Committee regarding petition P333 on 26 July 2001. This confirmed that the Scottish Executive do not accept the view expressed by the petitioner that the law regarding the celebration of marriage in Scotland is not compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Scottish Executive response pointed out that there is nothing to prevent a humanist or other ceremony supplementing the legal procedure undertaken by a registrar. In addition, the Scottish Executive undertook to review the position once the then proposed Marriage (Scotland) Bill had been enacted and operational for a suitable period. The new arrangements under the Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002 and associated regulations came fully into effect on 10 June 2002. These permit civil marriages to be carried out by registrars in places that are approved by Scottish local authorities. The Scottish Executive still intend, as was indicated in the response to PE333, to review matters once the 2002 act has been operational for a suitable period.

Mental Health

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the care and treatment of young people with mental health problems in secure accommodation.

Cathy Jamieson: Secure Units are required to assess the needs of young people in their care and to develop and deliver care plans that address their range of needs. The quality and delivery of care plans will be monitored through the regular inspections completed by Social Work Services Inspectorate and, in due course, the Care Commission.

  Specialist adolescent psychological services are provided at Rossie, St Mary’s Kenmure and Kerelaw. The Elms and Howdenhall/St Katherine’s can also access local mental health services, when required.

Mental Health

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources for the care and treatment of young people with mental health problems in secure accommodation were made available in each year since 1999-2000 and what future resources are to be made available.

Cathy Jamieson: An annual general allocation is made to each local authority to contribute to the costs of residential care for children including secure accommodation. Disaggregated figures for spending associated with mental health problems in secure accommodation are not available.

  The Health Department is conducting a review of the need for an NHS-run mental health facility for young people. The findings will be reported by the end of this year.

Mental Health

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or considering, in order to target mental health promotion at younger men.

Malcolm Chisholm: Young men will benefit from the National Programme for Improving the Mental Health and Well-being of the Scottish Population described in the answer to question S1W-29439 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  In addition, the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) has a number of initiatives targeted directly at young men or which include them in their target group. For example, HEBS have identified young men (18 to 30 years) as the target group for Scottish Mental Health Week (SMHW) 2002 and have distributed appropriate resource materials aimed at this group to NHS boards for local dissemination. HEBS is also supporting 15 small projects aimed at young men across Scotland through its Scottish Mental Health Week Small Projects Award Scheme 2002 and is running a seminar during Scottish Mental Health Week called Men and Mental Health.

Mental Health

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or considering, in order to promote mental well-being in the wider population.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or considering, in order to tackle, across departmental boundaries, social issues that impact on people with mental health problems, including educational opportunities, social isolation, unemployment and housing.

Malcolm Chisholm: The National Programme for Improving the Mental Health and Well-being of the Scottish Population, established in October 2001 and overseen by a National Advisory Group, (NAG) which I chair, is developing a range of initiatives to make progress on this vital component of our health improvement agenda. The programme’s main objectives include raising awareness of mental health issues, promoting positive mental health, and the effective prevention of mental health problems. It links into initiatives both within and outwith the Executive, for example in the social justice, education and employment fields, to maximise the potential for mental health gain. This broad ranging approach is reflected in the membership of the NAG, which includes health, local authority, community, business, trades union and voluntary interests. An initial focus of the work is on early years, children and young people, workplace and communities.

  With initial funding of £4 million, current projects include an National Anti-Stigma Campaign which will be launched in October; the Breathing Space Helpline for people with low mood and depression, especially among young men; the Framework for the Prevention of Suicide and Self Harm, and a public attitude survey on mental health. Other initiatives include the development of a range of public mental health indicators; the establishment of a Public Mental Health/Mental Health Improvement library of evidence and practice, and a national project to help improve the mental health and well-being of communities and to support local community effort and capacity. A magazine Well? describing the aims of the programme has been issued widely and a copy has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 24027).

Mental Health

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place, or currently under consideration, in order to identify additional steps that can be taken to promote safer prescribing of anti-depressants and analgesics.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are a number of measures in place to ensure that prescribers have access to information about the safe and effective use of medicines. Importantly, the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), the UK medicines regulatory authority, is responsible for the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines available on the UK market. The MCA, and its expert Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), continuously monitor the safety of medicines. Through the MCA/CSM, health care professionals are alerted to problems with medicines and provided with advice on the ways medicines can be used more safely. Further information can be found on the MCA's website www.mca.gov.uk.

  The British National Formulary (BNF), issued free to doctors and pharmacists, provides advice about the prescription of anti-depressants and analgesics. The BNF information reflects safety concerns and shifts in clinical practice. In addition, the product information for medicines, produced by the manufacturers and authorised by the Licensing Authority, includes relevant safety information.

  Anti-depressant and analgesic prescribing are areas regularly reviewed by NHS board/Primary Care Trust Prescribing Advisers, who receive monthly reports of prescribing data by GP practice. These reports are an important source of information for evaluating the use of medicines. Individual GPs and practices receive quarterly Scottish Prescribing Analysis (SPA) reports, which cover anti-depressants and analgesics. NHS boards and trusts also have access to Drug and Therapeutic Committee advice on the safe use of medicines.

  In relation to anti-depressant prescribing, Clinical Evidence, a compendium of best available evidence in health care, has been distributed to health care professionals throughout Scotland and includes guidance on the effectiveness of some drug treatments for depression. As with all medicines, the decision whether or not to prescribe a treatment for an individual patient depends on the clinical judgement of the doctor concerned, in consultation with the patient and bearing in mind the risks and benefits of the treatment.

NHS Funding

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it currently publishes or holds information on how alternatives to the Arbuthnott funding formula, for example derivatives of the Scottish Health Authorities Resource Equalisation, are calculated and whether it has any plans to detail how the allocations were calculated when announcing future funding for NHS board or trust level initiatives.

Malcolm Chisholm: We do not have information about alternatives to the Arbuthnott formula. NHS boards are provided with figures for their allocations and will be given any additional information which they wish to obtain about the basis of the calculations.

Nursing

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what considerations it has given to any pressure on the nursing workforce as a result of (a) the establishment of nurse-led clinics, (b) increasing the responsibilities of nurses to enable them to write prescriptions, (c) any specialisation within the nursing profession and (d) proposals for one nurse on each ward to become a "cleanliness champion".

Mrs Mary Mulligan: We are taking positive steps on a number of fronts to increase capacity, enhance career development opportunities and retain the current nursing workforce.

  Facing the Future, the Report of the National Convention on Recruitment and Retention in Nursing and Midwifery, identified the need to make an explicit connection between supply and demand, planning and distribution and the mix and diversity of nurses and midwives. In partnership, we are working to ensure that career development opportunities within Scotland are fostered and expanded.

  The Scottish Executive is also committed to recruiting more nurses in NHSScotland. Over the next five years 10,000 more nurses and midwives will qualify in Scotland, 1,500 more than previously planned and a raft of other initiatives have been put in place to ensure that NHSScotland recruits and retains the number of nurses it needs.

  Like other health care professionals, nurses and midwives want to take the opportunity for personal and professional development to enable NHSScotland to meet the demands of developing more flexible, needs-driven services in partnership with the public and fellow health professionals including innovative approaches to care. Support for staff to do so is provided through appropriate educational opportunities and through workforce planning so that individuals can follow career opportunities.

  Nurses and midwives themselves seek opportunities to establish nurse-led clinics focussing on the delivery of patient centred care. The benefits for nurses include the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge, being able to take autonomous clinical decisions and enabling patients to experience a smooth transition through their pathway of care. When developing nurse-led clinics it is important that cognisance is taken of the implications of changes to workload within the wider multi professional team. As part of the new arrangements set out in Working for Health, the workforce development action plan for NHSScotland, workforce officers will have local responsibility in their NHS board for ensuring that effective integration of service planning and workforce development takes place at trust and board level in order that services can be delivered in the most appropriate way.

  Nurses have been at the forefront of seeking the opportunity to prescribe as part of the care they provide in the areas of minor ailments, minor injuries, health promotion and palliative care. Appropriate training is being provided and will ensure that nurse prescribing brings real benefits in terms of access to care for patients.

  Some nurses seek to develop a specialist role within a given clinical field. A specialist nurse will have successfully completed a post qualification course of study in a specific clinical field and be able to apply a level of judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care to improve the quality of patient care, meet the needs of patients within the speciality and in the specific area of practice. The development of these roles also requires a workforce development approach.

  The role of cleanliness "champions" has been planned in partnership with NHS boards and trusts to ensure that it fits with the clinical environment and existing infection control structures with appropriate support mechanisms being put in place. An education programme is currently being developed by NHS Education for Scotland, which will ensure that individual nurses are well prepared for the role.

Public Private Partnerships

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28226 by Mr Andy Kerr on 9 September 2002, what evidence it has to support the statement that, in comparison with private finance initiative contracts, "broadly equivalent costs are incurred in relation to professional fees for the preparation, construction and operation of conventionally funded projects", giving specific examples of such projects where this is the case.

Mr Andy Kerr: The statement referred to relates to the costs of monitoring contracts. All contracts have to be monitored whether they are PPP contracts or conventional contracts. There are sound reasons for doing this, not least to ensure propriety and value for money. There is a cost attached to this. It is not possible to provide specific examples as contract monitoring costs are not separately identified in conventional contracts.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who has overall responsibility for the redevelopment of Waverley Station, Edinburgh; which department or executive agency has lead responsibility for the project, and what staff have been seconded to that agency or department from (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) the City of Edinburgh Council and (c) the Department for Transport.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29122 on 27 September 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  There are no representatives from Scottish Enterprise or the Department for Transport on the steering group.

Rail Network

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what directions and guidance it has given to the Strategic Rail Authority on compensation packages to (a) passengers, (b) train operating companies (TOCs) and (c) Railtrack for the disruption caused by a line closure; what the process is to gain any such compensation, and whether passengers, TOCs and Railtrack will qualify for any compensation following the recent closure of the Edinburgh to Glasgow railway line at Falkirk.

Lewis Macdonald: There are mechanisms in place under the terms of the current franchise to enable passengers to receive compensation from train operating companies who cancel train services. Where the cancellation is due to action taken by Railtrack, the train operating company can seek compensation from Railtrack.

  In this particular case, Railtrack decided to close the Edinburgh to Glasgow line at Falkirk on safety grounds following a fire on land adjacent to the railway but owned by a third party. Railtrack may therefore wish to seek compensation for the losses incurred from that third party.

  The Directions and Guidance issued to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on 28 June 2002 for the next Scottish Passenger Rail Franchise require the SRA to develop, among other things, a franchise which will endeavour to improve passenger compensation.

Rail Network

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has now been made in taking forward the Larkhall to Milngavie rail extension.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive remains in contact with all interested parties, including the Strategic Rail Authority, Railtrack and Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT).

  Recent progress includes agreement in principle by the Rail Regulator to a solution to issues around the performance regime applied to Railtrack. Other technical and legal issues are currently being addressed, in particular by SPT and Railtrack.

Rail Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met English, Welsh and Scottish Railways and on how many occasions it has met the company since May 1999.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive meets representatives of rail industry operating companies in Scotland on a regular basis, including English, Welsh and Scottish Railways.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been made available in the current financial year to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for research purposes.

Allan Wilson: No element of the grant-in-aid allocated to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is ring-fenced for any specific purpose. SEPA spent approximately £400,000 on research and development in 2001-02 and has budgeted to spend around the same amount in the current financial year.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why spending on providing the services and support that people need will be reduced by £5 million between 2003-04 and 2004-05 as detailed in its 2003-06 spending proposals.

Ms Margaret Curran: This arises from the completion of a three-year programme of capital expenditure to provide accommodation for the victims of domestic abuse.

Scottish Executive Finance

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its capital budget in each of the last three financial years was for projects greater than £10 million and what proportion of such projects were PFI/PPP projects.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information has to be collected from various departments. I will write to the member with the information early November. A copy of this information will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the new appointments to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council completed political activity forms prior to their appointment.

Iain Gray: Political activity forms for the four new members were completed prior to their appointment to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, as stipulated in the guidance provided by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements are placed on board members of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) with regard to their attendance at meetings and other official engagements.

Iain Gray: The terms and conditions that new board members agree to upon appointment to SHEFC states, in paragraph 1, that members:

  "will be required to devote approximately 2 days per month on average to the performance of your functions as a Member of the Council."

  Specific arrangements are a matter for the council.

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise recently nominated for appointment to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

Iain Gray: No nominations were received from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Scottish Enterprise nominated a serving member of their board, Ian Ritchie.

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remuneration package is for board members of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC).

Iain Gray: SHEFC board members receive a non-pensionable annual salary of £5,031 and incurred travel and subsistence costs.

Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when and where the recent vacancies for members of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council were advertised.

Iain Gray: The advert for the four board member vacancies on the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council appeared in the following publications:

  


14 February 2002 
  

Business AM




15 February 2002 
  

The Herald




15 February 2002 
  

The Scotsman




21 February 2002 
  

The Financial Times




  The advert was also accessible via the Scottish Executive website on the public appointments page from 14 February until 22 March 2002.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what communication it is having with the Inland Revenue with regard to the Scottish Transport Group pension schemes and, in particular, (a) what concessions it is seeking from the Inland Revenue in respect of the schemes and (b) what response it has received.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the event that the Inland Revenue grants a concession so that pensioners and beneficiaries under the Scottish Transport Group pension funds do not have to pay income tax on their payments, any tax deducted will be reimbursed immediately following the securing of the exemption.

Lewis Macdonald: Following previous exchanges of correspondence with the Inland Revenue on taxation issues, I wrote to HM Treasury on 9 August 2002 seeking a tax concession which would allow the ex-gratia payments to be made as tax-free lump sum payments. HM Treasury replied on 20 September 2002 confirming their view that there was no case for special treatment.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28258 by Lewis Macdonald on 5 September 2002, whether the first tranche of payments under the disbursement of Scottish Transport Group pension funds will be calculated using a fixed percentage of the total calculated entitlement and, if so, what that percentage will be and, if not, how the percentage of payments to be made under the first tranche will be calculated, and whether the second tranche of payments will be for the total amount remaining.

Lewis Macdonald: The first tranche of payments was calculated as £3.90 per £ of pension or pension entitlement at 1993 levels. The total to be paid out in this tranche, assuming that all the details on the database are correct, is approximately 80% of the £118 million then available for distribution. Since the calculations were made for the first tranche of payments we have secured an additional £8 million for distribution to beneficiaries, and the second tranche will distribute the balance of the £126 million now available.

Shipping

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are available to support the Scottish Shipping Initiative and what plans it has to promote and support shipping as an employment sector as well as a mode of transport.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive, and the UK Government with its reserved responsibilities, work together to provide integrated shipping, ports and transport policies. These offer a framework for the shipping industry to develop transport opportunities and create employment. The Executive liases with representative bodies seeking to promote the industry but does not provide funding to support specific interest groups.

Small Businesses

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27999 by Peter Peacock on 2 September 2002, what it estimates will be the percentage of small businesses eligible for business rate relief under the scheme to be introduced in 2003.

Peter Peacock: The Executive is currently preparing estimates of the number of properties eligible for relief and these will be published later this year, when the Minister for Finance and Public Services formally announces the provisional poundage rate for 2003-04.

Small Businesses

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what sources of grant funding are available for small business start-ups, and specifically cafés, in rural Aberdeenshire.

Iain Gray: The provision of advice and support for business start-ups in Scotland is primarily a matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Individuals wishing to start a business in rural Aberdeenshire should, in the first instance, contact their local Small Business Gateway outlet, where business advisers can advise on all relevant sources of advice and financial support available both locally and nationally. However, support is not automatic and will be dependent on the specific support criteria.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the education indicator for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals does not include the target of having exclusive access to at least four modern computers for every class.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the education indicator for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals does not include the target of every teacher having access to a classroom computer.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the education indicator for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals does not include figures on entry into higher and further education in line with milestone 16 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 – A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the justice indicator for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals is restricted to house-breaking.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include alcohol misuse in line with milestone 18 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include smoking in line with milestone 18 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include poor diet in line with milestone 18 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include the percentage of low birth-weight babies in line with milestone 5 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include dental decay among five-year-olds in line with milestone 5 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include reductions in smoking by 12- to 15-year-olds in line with milestone 11 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include teenage pregnancies among 13- to 15-year-olds in line with milestone 11 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include the rate of suicides among young people in line with milestone 11 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the health indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include mortality rates from coronary heart disease among older people in line with milestone 22 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals do not include milestone 29 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters , accelerating the number of households in disadvantaged areas with access to the internet.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why house-breaking is the only crime mentioned as an indicator in the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals, rather than all crime in disadvantaged areas in line with milestone 26 of the Social Justice Annual Report - A Scotland where everyone matters .

Ms Margaret Curran: Our intention was to select a small basket of indicators that would help us measure whether we are closing the gap between deprived areas and the rest of Scotland. The indicators were chosen from existing Executive portfolio and Social Justice targets, because they relate to the achievement of specific outcomes, are relevant for monitoring area-based deprivation relevant to the national average and because the necessary data will be available at local area level for the baseline year of 2003-04.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to meet target 9 of the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals.

Ms Margaret Curran: We are increasing opportunities for people to get involved in volunteering through the Active Communities Initiative, the expansion of the volunteer centre network and the continuation of the Millennium Volunteers programme. The focus of these programmes is to tackle the obstacles to volunteering opportunities, raise awareness about volunteering and to provide training and support. These objectives do not readily lend themselves to quantifiable targets. Similarly, we will continue to promote equality mainstreaming throughout the period 2003-06 and Building A Better Scotland sets out what we intend to achieve over the next three years.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what spending commitments in its 2003-06 spending proposals will assist in meeting the jobs indicators of target 3 of the social justice section of its proposals.

Ms Margaret Curran: Spending on a wide range of Executive programmes will impact on the jobs indicators of target 3 of the social justice section of  Building a Better Scotland . Some of the Executive’s spending plans will have a direct effect. For example, we will spend an additional £20 million from 2004 to help people in deprived communities through child care. Other spending plans will have a less direct, but nevertheless important effect. For example, we will spend an extra £34 million on rolling out the Educational Maintenance Allowances from 2004 to allow young people from less well-off families throughout Scotland to remain in school and in further education.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why milestone 2 of the Social Justice Annual Report Scotland 2001 - A Scotland where everyone matters , reducing the proportion of our children living in low income households, is not an objective, target or indicator in the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals.

Ms Margaret Curran: Social justice is delivered both through the social justice portfolio and through the activities of other portfolios. The aims, objectives and targets in the social justice chapter of Building a Better Scotland are those that the social justice budget will deliver. The social justice milestones remain in place and we shall report again on progress in this year's Social Justice Annual Report.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the "difficult, long-term problems" remaining in Glasgow and Dundee mentioned in the social justice section of its 2003-06 spending proposals.

Ms Margaret Curran: Both the "difficult, long-term problems" and the successes of opportunities facing Glasgow and Dundee will be set out in full in the Cities Review report.

Special Educational Needs

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have a Record of Needs that is currently open and operational.

Cathy Jamieson: According to the September 2001 school census, there were 16,137 pupils with a Record of Needs attending publicly funded schools. At the same date there were 558 pupils with a Record of Needs attending independent schools. From the January 2002 pre-school census, there were 808 children with a Record of Needs attending pre-school education.

Special Educational Needs

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in relation to the review of the Record of Needs system.

Cathy Jamieson: After publishing the Executive’s proposals in Assessing our children’s needs: The Way Forward? (Bib. Number 19469), further consultation seminars and focus groups were held with service providers and users of the Record of Needs system. A draft bill is now being prepared, taking account of the outcome of the consultation, and we expect to publish the draft bill early next year.

Special Educational Needs

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support will be available to children following the review of the Record of Needs system.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-5619 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  The aim of the changes following the review of the Record of Needs system will be to ensure that all pupils’ additional support needs are identified and addressed so they have the same opportunities as their peers to access and benefit from learning.

Sport

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role UK Sport has in the (a) promotion, (b) regulation and (c) funding of sport in Scotland.

Dr Elaine Murray: UK Sport has no role specific to Scotland. It is responsible for fostering, supporting and encouraging the development of sport and physical recreation in the UK as a whole with a particular focus on the Olympic sports (which are organised on a GB/UK basis) and the achievement of excellence. Its functions include support for GB/UK governing bodies of sport and governing body modernisation; advice on policies and practices on anti-doping and other ethical and equity issues, and it provides the central services for the UK Sports Institute. For these purposes, it receives annual grant-in-aid from DCMS. It is also a distributor for part of the Lottery Sports Fund, operating the World Class Performance Programme and the UK Major Events Programme.

Suicide

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to measures aimed at reducing the risk of suicide in any high risk groups and, in particular, amongst younger men.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking, or plans to take, in order to ensure that current evidence and best practice on suicide prevention will be made widely available.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is preparing a Framework for the Reduction of Suicide and Self-harm, to be published later this year, and has consulted widely on the draft version. The framework will cover the risk factors related to suicide, identify groups most at risk, and highlight appropriate actions at both national and local levels.

Suicide

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to the introduction of national collaborative measures for the monitoring of non-fatal deliberate self-harm.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information and Statistics Division, a division of the Common Services Agency, is currently working on an Improving Mental Health Information Programme which is addressing the monitoring of non-fatal deliberate self-harm.

  It is also planned that the Framework for the Reduction of Suicide and Self-harm, described in the answer to question S1W-29436 today, will include provision to ensure the collection of appropriate information on suicide and self-harm and dissemination of the results to local areas.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Suicide

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will make available for promoting research on suicide and suicide prevention.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Health Department funds the Scottish work of the National Confidentiality Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, a UK-wide study based at the University of Manchester. The first of the Inquiry’s reports to include Scottish data "Safer Services" was published in 2001. The Inquiry Team is currently undertaking further research work and another report is expected in due course.

  The forthcoming Framework for the Reduction of Suicide and Self-harm in Scotland will include financial provision for the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Executive to commission appropriate research into the causes and effective prevention of suicide and self-harm.

Suicide

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific initiatives it will put in place apart from the National Framework for the Prevention of Suicide and Deliberate Self Harm to address any increase in the number of child and adolescent suicides.

Malcolm Chisholm: The work of the National Programme for Improving the Mental Health and Well-being of the Scottish Population, established in October 2001 and overseen by a National Advisory Group which I chair, will bear on children and young people. It will also link into the range of policies and initiatives in train across the Executive to help give children a better start in life and to cope better with the difficulties which might otherwise lead them to consider self-harm or suicide.

Suicide

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to compile an information pack for schools and pupils on child and adolescent suicide.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has no such plans.

Water Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role water authorities should play in the (a) planning and (b) operation of sustainable urban drainage systems.

Ross Finnie: The roles and responsibilities of Scottish Water and other statutory bodies in relation to sustainable urban drainage systems are clearly set out in Planning Advice Note 61, and in the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems Design Manual for Scotland and Northern Ireland .